Relationship between Expression of VEGF2D and MLD and Lymph Node Metastasis in En2 dometrial Carcinoma

Objective 　To analyze the relationship between expression of vascular endothelial growth factor D (VEGF2D) and the microlymphatic density (MLD) and lymph node metastasis in endomet rial carcino2 ma. Methods 　Immunohistochemical method was used to detect VEGF2D and MLD in 53 cases of endom2 et rial carcinoma and 20 cases of normal endomet ria. Lymphatic vessels were marked by D2240 and the mi2 crolymphatic density (MLD) was counted by Masakazu's method. Results 　(1) The positive expression rate of VEGF2D and MLD in the endomet rial carcinoma tissue (39/ 53, 23. 54 ±7. 84) were much higher than that in normal endomet ria tissue (5/ 20, 10. 48 ±1. 62) ( P < 0. 05) ; the positive expression rate of VEGF2D and MLD in lymph2node2positive group (33/ 38, 32. 05 ±3. 27) were much higher than that in lymph2node2negative group (6/ 15, 20. 23 ±4. 57) ( P < 0. 05) ; the positive expression rate of VEGF2D in endomet rial carcinoma had no correlation with age, differentiation and depth of invasion ( P > 0. 05 re2 spectively), but was significantly related to clinical stage ( P < 0. 05) . (2) The positive expression of VEGF2D had correlation with MLD ( rs = 0. 398, P < 0. 05 ) . The MLD of the positive group of the VEGF2D (31. 17 ±2. 82) was higher than in the negative group (16. 75 ±3. 63) ( P < 0. 05) . Conclusion 　The positive expression of VEGF2D in endomet rial carcinoma has significantly correlation with MLD and it may induce lymphangiogenesis and promote the lymph node metastasis of endomet rial carcinoma. The VEGF2D may be used as a valuable index in evaluating diagnosis, t reatment and prognosis of endomet rial carcinoma.